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Levelling Up Fund disappointment

28 October 2021
Bridie Finnan
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Categories: Bootle Strand, Business and Economy, Front Page, Latest News, Uncategorized

Sefton Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher has expressed his disappointment at the Levelling Up fund announcement by the Chancellor yesterday which saw both Sefton’s bids for Bootle and Crosby rejected.

Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council said: “We are extremely disappointed by the Chancellor’s announcement today that the Government has rejected Sefton Council’s Levelling Up Fund bids for Bootle and Crosby.

“The Levelling Up Fund was intended to target those towns that have been left behind. Bootle and Crosby are among those areas hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and the bids were designed so that we could regenerate the economies of our town centres and invest in our communities, people and businesses.

“They are areas that have long been overlooked by the Government in terms of regeneration and development so in these times of supposed levelling up, I cannot fathom this decision not to provide this valuable support.

“Once again, we will have to proceed with our ambitious vision to create thriving town centres that work for all people in Sefton through our own determination, and attempt to attract resources in partnership with others, and we hope the Government will take note of the situation families are facing in Bootle and Crosby.”

Find out more about Sefton Council’s Levelling Up plans for Bootle. 

Chancellor’s Budget plans must be long-term, sustainable and not at council taxpayers’ expense, says Sefton Council leader

25 October 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Uncategorized
Cllr Ian Maher
Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher

Sefton Council Leader, Cllr Ian Maher has given a cautious welcome to news that Chancellor Rishi Sunak plans to invest in skills and education, families, business, transport and culture in his budget statement this week.

New money

Cllr Maher said: “After years of Government austerity and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, these are all areas that desperately need more investment.

“But what we need to see this week is guaranteed new money and long-term commitments that mean people in Sefton will really see a levelling-up, rather than headline-grabbing announcements.

“As a result of the pandemic, Councils such as Sefton have seen huge increases in demand, particularly in the areas of adult and children’s social care services. And, at the same time we have taken a huge hit in terms of lost income due to lost revenue from closed facilities and lower Council Tax and Business Rate income.

“At the same time, large numbers of families across the Borough are facing increased financial pressures from the Government’s recent, £20-per-week cut in Universal Credit, higher household fuel costs and rising prices in shops.

Damage done

“To make sure we can build back better from the damage done by austerity and the pandemic, Sefton and other councils need sustainable, three-year financial settlements that enable us to plan strategically as well as greater Government support for frontline services.

“And the cost of this should not be passed on to local people through us being required to increase Council Tax to pay for vital services.

“If we do not see these measures from the Chancellor on Wednesday, no matter what Mr Sunak and his colleagues claim, what this budget statement will really represent is cuts that will hit the most vulnerable.”

Startling

In an open letter in May when the Council set its budget, Cllr Maher wrote to Sefton Council Tax-payers explaining that the authority had had been forced to make £233 million of savings over the past ten years. And, he described the cost to the Council of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic as ‘startling’.

He said that at the beginning of the crisis, the Government told local councils to do “whatever it takes,” but described ministers’ responses to calls for increased and continual funding as ‘nothing more than smoke and mirrors’.

Ambitious

Today, Cllr Maher said: “This week is an opportunity for this Government to show that it has the interests of everyone at heart, by announcing budget plans that enable us to support local communities to recover, and to develop our ambitious plans for sustained economic growth across the Borough.”

 You can read Cllr Maher’s open letter here.

Sefton listens to the views of children whose parents foster

22 October 2021
Charlene Smith
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Uncategorized, Young People

Throughout October Sefton has been celebrating Sons and Daughter Month. This is an annual campaign to recognise and say ‘thank you’ to the children of fosters carers for the important work they do in welcoming vulnerable children into their home.

In the lead up to Sons and Daughters Month, Sefton listened to children from fostering families who spoke about how fostering impacts their life, the challenges that growing up in a fostering family brings and the benefits it has.

The children told us;

They explained that the extra rules, lots of visitors to the house could be hard. The biggest impact was seeing their parents time and attention divided.

Some children described the ‘buzz’ of meeting new children and how it brought their family closer;

Cllr Mhairi Doyle MBE, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said:

“It’s so important for us to recognise the vital role that children of foster carers play in helping vulnerable young people. Thank you to all those who shared their thoughts and feelings with us. Listening to your voice is key in helping us to continually improve and shape the service to ensure that it benefits children in our care and foster families.

“Our Sons and Daughters really are a testament to our foster carers as they welcome many children who may be scared or unsure, into their homes, make them feel safe and secure and help them settle in.

“If you are thinking about fostering and you already have children, please don’t see this as a barrier. Sefton involves the children of foster carers every step of the way and do all that we can to make them feel valued. Our carers with children tell us how fostering has many benefits in enhancing their life and bringing them closer together as a family unit.

Angela Sitoe Sefton Fostering’s Training Development Officer, conducted the survey and said:

“I was bowled over reading the children’s experiences and by how generous and welcoming they are.  It is clear this can be difficult at times. Thanks to all who support the children in our foster families to be open, loving and where possible make life long connections.”

Sefton’s Foster Carers receive full training and support, plus payments for their skills and allowances. Anyone who is thinking about fostering can find out more by speaking to one of the team. Get in touch on our freephone number 0800 923 2777

People can also find out more on our dedicated website https://seftonfostering.co.uk/ 

Sons and Daughters Month and our Fostering Family

15 October 2021
Charlene Smith
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Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News, Uncategorized, Your Sefton

This October Sefton has been celebrating Sons and Daughter’s month. This is an annual campaign to recognise how children of foster carers play a vital role in helping young people in care feel welcomed and part of their family.

Paul is one of our dedicated foster carers. Him and his wife Angela have three children, work full time and have been fostering for Sefton for three years. Paul wanted to share his heart-warming experience about how his children have really embraced foster care.

“When we were considering fostering, one of the main things we wanted to ensure was that it was going to be the right thing for our own children as well as any children we looked after.

“We have 3 birth children, boys aged 7, 13 and 15.

“We involved them at every stage of the assessment process and still continue to. Before we take on any new children we sit down as a family and discuss the who might be coming to or home. To us we are not just foster parents we are a Foster Family.

“Here we are now, 3 years in and I can honestly say that all of the children we have looked after have enhanced our family and that is by a large part due to our sons welcoming new children into our home and looking after them in their own small ways that have made such a huge difference. Our older children play football in the garden and our younger child plays with them with his toys and games. This really has helped the fostered children settle in much quicker. It has also helped our sons too, with their confidence and sense of pride, particularly our youngest who is proud to say he is a foster family.

“It so important to involve your birth children as it affects them in a huge way too. They do sacrifice a lot sharing not only their toys, but their parents too. For this reason, Sons and Daughters week is one of the biggest weeks in the year for Foster families.

“Thank you to all of the Sons and daughters of all of the foster families for the fantastic work and sacrifice you make.”

Sefton’s Foster Carers receive full training and support, plus payments for their skills and allowances. Anyone who is thinking about fostering can find out more by speaking to one of the team. Get in touch on our freephone number 0800 923 2777

People can also find out more on our dedicated website https://seftonfostering.co.uk/ 

 

Sefton Council joins forces with partners to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2021

12 October 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council, Uncategorized

A group of people stand in front of a Stope Hate UK banner outside a fire stationNational Hate Crime Awareness Week takes place between 9th – 16th October 2021 and Sefton Council, along with a range of partners, is highlighting what hate crime is, how it affects people, encourage people to report it, and let people know what is happening in the local area to tackle it.

Raising awareness and encouraging the reporting of hate crimes is a priority for the Council and partners throughout the year, but we can use National Hate Crime Awareness Week to shine a spotlight on the work being undertaken to tackle it in all its forms.

Hate crime can involve people being targeted based on their disability, transgender identity, race, religion and sexual orientation. Merseyside Police expand these strands further and also monitor hate crime against those who sex work, which is seen as unique but often best practice for the support provided. The force believes that every person in Sefton and the wider Merseyside area has the right to go about their lives without being the target of abusive language or criminal behaviour motivated by hate or prejudice.

The Home Office has today (Tuesday 12 October) released its latest figures for hate crimes in England and Wales. There has been an overall increase in recorded hate crime with sexual orientation, disability, race and transgender hate crimes all showing marked increases. Religion hate crimes have dropped for the second year running.

The report states that the increases are believed to be due to better recording methods by police forces, greater awareness on the part of victims and the public, and also spikes in numbers of hate crimes following certain events.

To support National Hate Crime Awareness Week several activities are taking place across Sefton to help prevent hate crime, increase awareness and provide training.

These are:

  • Community partnership event with the Police and Crime Commissioner Office and Sefton Hate Crime agency partners to carry out a targeted leaflet drop in key hot spot areas to encourage people to report hate crimes
  • Deliver Hate Crime Awareness training to students at Hugh Baird College, St Bedford Road Primary, Sacred Heart School Crosby and Sefton Youth Detachment Workers
  • Attend ‘People’s First’ in Bootle to discuss hate crime with group members
  • Attend a Disability Hate Crime Steering Group hosted by Dr Leah Burch from Liverpool Hope University
  • Visit Venus Women’s Centre coffee morning to discuss any hate related issues
  • Videos posted across Sefton Council’s social media channels in support of National Hate Crime Awareness Week and the support available to victims

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said:

“We want to do everything we can to send the message out that hate crime will not be tolerated in Sefton and to give people the confidence to report abuse and not suffer in silence.

“It’s really important that people know about the various ways a hate crime can be reported in Sefton; whether it be by contacting the police directly, via the independent charity Stop Hate UK or at one of the many reporting centres across the Borough. Victims and witnesses will be supported to report hate crime and to receive advice and support.”

Superintendent Sarah Kenwright said:

“Merseyside has a reputation for being a welcoming, friendly place and there is no place here for hate crime.

“If you are aware of a repeat offender on your street, of an individual or family who are being subjected to hate, or if you see anything online or while out and about, please tell us. We want to actively encourage our communities to be our eyes and ears and firmly believe they play a crucial role in spotting and reporting a hate crime.”

Supt Kenwright added:

“I would also urge any victim of hate crime in Merseyside to please come forward. It is vital that we give our support to anyone who believes they have been subjected to abuse or left in fear because of who they are, and I want to reassure the public that we will take action against those responsible.

“We have officers and staff dedicated to protecting victims of hate crime who will make sure you will be supported at every step as sensitively as possible.”

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, said:

“National Hate Crime Awareness Week is an important date in the calendar for me. It gives us all the opportunity to celebrate and promote the rich diversity of our communities, while coming together to reaffirm and renew our commitment to challenging and tackling all acts of hatred and prejudice.

“At a time when our country sadly still feels quite divided and, in the wake of a recent increase in incidents of hate crime, it is more important than ever that we remain vigilant to combat discrimination, abuse and prejudice.

“Let me make it clear, crimes motivated by hate have no place in our society.

“I’m pleased to be working with partners and communities across the region to send out the message – loud and clear – that our region is diverse, it is inclusive and it is welcoming. Those who look to spread and breed hatred are have no place here.”

Everyone has a role in tackling hate crime and eliminating it from society. If you have witnessed a hate crime, or have any information, please contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police Contact Centre. You can also call 101.

If, for any reason, you do not wish to the report to the police, Stop Hate UK will ensure you get the appropriate emotional and practical support. They offer a free, confident and accessible 24/7 reporting service for all victims of hate crime, including multi-lingual reporting, the Stop Hate UK app, phone line 0800 138 1625 and webchat www.stophateuk.org.

You can also report a hate crime at one of a number of independent reporting centres across Sefton, or you can use this online form.

Anyone affected by hate crime can visit www.victimcaremerseyside.org for help, advice and to get the contact details for organisations which can offer support.

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